A bad idea could become even worse

Sure, weather is supposed to be a part of football. Rain, snow, sleet, icy temperatures. Doesn't matter. As long as there's no lightning, football will be played. And some of the classic games in NFL history have been played in lousy conditions such as the famous Ice Bowl in Green Bay or the Fog Bowl in Chicago. But choosing to play a Super Bowl in New York City in the middle of winter is just a bad idea. Don't you want your showcase game played in as ideal conditions as possible? Championships shouldn't be determined just because one team is used to cold weather and another team is not and the NFL signed up for that distinct possibility by awarding the 2014 Super Bowl to New York City.

There's no question that New York will put on a great show. That's what New Yorkers do. The game will be spectacular and the TV ratings will be through the roof and the game likely will be memorable, maybe even more so if the weather is lousy. But don't think it will end here. You can bet the house that other cold-weather team owners will start making pitches for games. If New York can get a game, why can't New England? Or Washington, D.C.? Or Buffalo? Or Denver? Or Pittsburgh? On and on it goes. And something tells me this could be the first step in eventually playing a Super Bowl in London.

Speaking of New York and Super Bowls and weather, here are some interesting numbers from the meteorologists from AccuWeather.com. They looked back at the weather in New York City over the past 44 years on Feb. 2. The date for the 2014 Super Bowl has not been set, but Feb. 2 seems likely. Only 4 percent of the Feb. 2nds had snowfall, with the most being three inches in 1985. Fourteen percent of the days had rainfall, although rain is possible anywhere in the country, so that shouldn't really be counted against New York City. Over the past 44 years, the warmest Feb. 2 was in 1973 and 1988 when the high temperature was 57 degrees. The coldest was 16 degrees in 1971. But here's the big number which could have more of an affect than anything: on 54 percent of the Feb. 2nds, there was a sustained wind of at least 15 miles per hour. Wind probably affects a football game more than even rain or snow.

So, putting all the numbers of the past into a big science blender, here's what the averages say: The Super Bowl in 2014 will have temperatures in the 30s at kickoff with winds between 10 and 20 mph. Then again, it's the weather. Anything is possible.

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For sports talk filled with strong opinions, Tom Jones is here to give you his two cents -- and get yours as well. Tom might be commenting on the best coverage of TV sports, the dumbest thing said by sport announcers, the best sports trivia lists, or whatever three things just popped into his head. Want his ear?